Powell has &quot;a job to do here&quot;

16 Dec 2010 12:00:22

Leicester coach Chris Powell is flattered to be linked with Newcastle but insists he remains fully focused on his duties at the Walkers Stadium.City have reportedly rejected an approach from the Premier League club for the 41-year-old reserve-team manager to join new Magpies boss Alan Pardew's backroom team.Pardew, who succeeded Chris Hughton following the Londoner`s controversial sacking this month, wanted Powell to stay on as coach when he was in charge at Charlton in 2008 but he did not have the funds to make it happen."This has all come as a bit of a surprise to me. It is flattering to be linked with a Premier League club so early in my career, but I have a job to do here at Leicester," said Powell."I have had a chat with Sven [Goran Eriksson] and he is keen for me to stay and, as far as I'm concerned, that is what I am doing."Under Sven and the new owners, the club is on the verge of a big new thing and I think there is only direction which they are going in and that is upwards."